Today’s Top Story
President declares opioid crisis to be “national emergency.”
MedPage Today reports that President Trump has declared the opioid crisis to be a national emergency. “Building upon the recommendations in the interim report from the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis,” a statement from the White House reads, “President Donald J. Trump has instructed his Administration to use all appropriate emergency and other authorities to respond to the crisis caused by the opioid epidemic.”
Read more…
Read the White House statement…
Read the interim report (PDF)…
Other News
Study: Many opioid-naïve spine patients discontinue opioid use over time.
Findings from a study published in the Aug. 2 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (JBJS) suggest that spine surgery among opioid-naïve patients may not be a major driver of long-term prescription opioid use. The authors reviewed data on 9,991 patients who underwent one of four common spinal surgical procedures (discectomy, decompression, lumbar posterolateral arthrodesis, or lumbar interbody arthrodesis) and who had no history of opioid use in the 6 months prior to surgery. They found that 84 percent of patients filled at least one opioid prescription on discharge. At 30 days after discharge, 8 percent had continued opioid use; at 3 months, 1 percent continued use; and at 6 months, 0.1 percent continued use. The authors write that higher-intensity surgical procedures (posterolateral arthrodesis and interbody arthrodesis) and depression were associated with a decreased likelihood of discontinuing opioid use.
Read the abstract…
Study examines factors that affect quality of life after open fracture.
A study published online in the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma examines factors linked to health-related quality of life following open fracture. The researchers drew data on 1,427 open fracture patients from a prospective, randomized, controlled trial conducted in the United States, Canada, Australia, and India. They found that smoking, lower pre-injury SF-12 Physical Component Score (PCS) and Mental Component Score (MCS), and work-related injuries were significantly associated with lower SF-12 PCS and MCS at 12-month follow-up. In addition, lower extremity fracture and a wound not closed at initial irrigation and débridement were significantly associated with lower 12-month SF-12 PCS but not MCS scores. The researchers note that only the adjusted mean difference for lower extremity fractures approached the minimally important difference for SF-12 PCS.
Read the abstract…
Study: Surgeon radiation exposure may be within recommended limits, but caution advised.
Data from a study published in the Aug. 2 issue of JBJS suggest that many surgeons may receive lower than the yearly recommended dose limit of ionizing radiation. The research team measured monthly radiation exposure over a 12-month period for 24 orthopaedic residents and 16 orthopaedic attending surgeons. They found that, compared to their peers, senior residents rotating on trauma and attending surgeons who specialized in trauma or deformity surgery were exposed to the highest dosages of monthly radiation. The researchers state that all participants were exposed to dosages within the dose limits of 5,000 mrem/year recommended by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. However, they emphasize the importance of awareness and taking measures to limit exposure.
Read the abstract…
Study: Medicare DMEPOS competitive bidding program may help control costs.
According to a study published in the August issue of the journal Health Affairs, implementation of a competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS) may have been associated with Medicare expenditures comparable to those of large, commercial insurance companies. The researchers reviewed prices from Round 1 of the Medicare competitive bidding program for the periods 2011 to 2013 and 2014 to 2016, and compared them to prices paid by national commercial insurers for the same types of items from 2011 to 2014. They found that the initial years of the Medicare program produced prices similar to those obtained by the private insurers.
Read the abstract…
Read AAOS Now in the AAOS Access App!
Beginning with the June 2017 issue, AAOS Now is available to read on both iOS and Android devices via the AAOS Access App. A newly posted video contains complete instructions for Access App users who wish to add AAOS Now to their existing eBooks, videos, and other educational content.
View the video, with links to download the app…
Call for volunteers: AMA nominee to the ACGME Review Committee for Orthopaedic Surgery.
AAOS seeks to nominate members to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Review Committee for Orthopaedic Surgery. The nomination is for the American Medical Association (AMA) member candidate nominated by the AMA Board of Trustees. Applicants for this position must be AAOS active fellows, AMA members, and have expertise or fellowship training in oncology or spine. In addition, all applicants must provide the following: an online AAOS CAP application, an electronic application for AMA Nomination for External Leadership Position, a current abbreviated curriculum vitae (not to exceed three pages), a current full curriculum vitae, and a brief biosketch. The AMA nomination application, curriculum vitae, and biosketch must be submitted to Kyle Trivedi by Sept. 4, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. CT, at:
trivedi@aaos.org.
Learn more and submit your application…(member login required)
Learn more and obtain the AMA nomination form…
